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Planck Vision Systems for Early fire detection

Planck Vision Systems manufactures thermal imaging solutions for portable inspection and 24/7 monitoring of commercial applications including: Early Fire Detection, Manufacturing, Substations and Tunnels, Electrical Panel/Cabinets, Storage Facilities, Data Centers and Elevated Body Temperature Screening. Our company is headquartered in Santa Barbara CA, the capital of infrared sensing technologies in the United States. 

Founded in 2020, our design team has worked together for more than 15 years on thermal and visible camera systems and on products that are currently distributed worldwide.We specialized in working with our customers to meet the unique thermal imaging needs of their clients. 

Our proven systems have been installed globally in commercial applications for energy production and distribution, food production, transportation, industrial automation, and elevated body temperature (EBT) detection.


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NEWS

Tshwane residents are growing increasingly concerned about the spate of substation fires, which have caused significant disruptions to their daily lives. The latest incident, a blaze at the Mooikloof substation, east of Pretoria, has left thousands without power. According to the Tshwane Municipality, an explosion on Wednesday night led to a fire damaging one of the substation’s transformers and panels.

Residents are frustrated and worried they may spend the weekend without electricity, exacerbating the already difficult situation. Communities reliant on the Mooikloof substation continue to experience prolonged power outages, with darkness persisting in many areas. The situation has been further complicated by severe traffic congestion during peak hours, leaving residents feeling frustrated and inconvenienced.

Some of the residents echoed their sentiments. “It’s a problem because we can’t even bathe or do anything, we can’t even cook. It’s few days like this and it is not for the first time this has been happening, it’s a problem.” “It is very expensive because you have to throw away your food and everything else.”

Previously, the City of Tshwane attributed the frequent substation failures to the strain caused by load shedding. However, aging infrastructure and inadequate maintenance have also been identified as contributing factors. Meanwhile, the ANC has pointed to a lack of sufficient security measures at the substations as a key issue, highlighting the need for enhanced protection to prevent such incidents.

ANC Tshwane Chairperson, Eugene Modise, stated, “This is a direct demonstration of incompetence. How can you put a national key point without security? And not physical security only, even the technical one, when it bursts you must be able to strap the electricity so that it doesn’t go through.”

While the cause of the Mooikloof substation fire and similar incidents at other substations remains unknown, Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink has acknowledged that the City has fallen short in its responsibility to protect its infrastructure and assets, leaving them vulnerable to damage and disruption. Brink could not provide a definite timeline for when power will be restored; however, he emphasized that the City’s top priority is ensuring the continuity of essential services, particularly at critical facilities like Pretoria East Hospital. “We are really working very hard, but the damage is extensive; this is not going to be a quick operation. In the meantime, we ask for the patience of the communities, to work with social partners to relieve the circumstances as much as we can.”

The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) attributes the problem to the City’s failure to insource and adequately pay security guards, leaving substations vulnerable to vandalism and damage. SAMWU Tshwane Regional Secretary, Ngoako Mathabatha, stated, “Not all assets in the City are protected by insourced and outsourced security, and if workers are not happy coming to work for more than 3 months not receiving salaries, that affects the morale of workers and that’s why some of the infrastructure is not protected.”

In response to the Mooikloof substation fire, the City of Tshwane has issued an apology to residents and appealed for patience while they repair the substation to restore power in impacted suburbs. Technical teams are working around the clock to fix the damage in order to restore power to affected areas.

Electric power utilities are susceptible to costly unplanned maintenance and rising costs. With aging infrastructure, electric utilities are facing an increased risk of blackouts and brownouts. The effects of these blackouts and brownouts impact everything around us.

Planck Vision Systems thermal imaging cameras offer 24/7 monitoring to constantly gather and analyze data with software that identifies trends and anomalies. Fixed mount or pan/tilt drive cameras can survey large areas of a substation with crisp thermal images. Planck Vision Systems cameras will always be in the right place at the right time to eliminate the potential for costly unexpected substation failures.

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Losses incurred due to the outage

• Infrastructure Repair Costs: This includes the expenses associated with repairing or replacing damaged transformers, panels, and other equipment at the Mooikloof substation. It involves materials, labor, and equipment costs.
• Economic Impact on Businesses: Prolonged power outages can lead to significant financial losses for businesses, including loss of revenue, damage to perishable goods, and decreased productivity. This impact can vary depending on the size and nature of businesses in the affected areas.
• Economic Impact on Residents: Residents may incur additional expenses due to the need for alternative sources of power, such as purchasing generators or relying on other means of lighting and cooking. There may also be costs associated with spoiled food and potential healthcare issues resulting from the lack of electricity.
• Productivity Losses: The disruption caused by the power outages can result in productivity losses for both businesses and residents. This includes downtime, delays in operations, and missed opportunities.
• Healthcare Costs: Extended power outages can affect critical facilities like hospitals, leading to increased healthcare costs due to the need for alternative power sources, potential disruptions to medical equipment, and additional patient care requirements.
• Social Costs: The inconvenience and frustration experienced by residents can have social costs, including impacts on mental well-being, community cohesion, and overall quality of life.
• Environmental Impact: Depending on the cause of the fire and the extent of environmental damage, there may be associated costs related to environmental cleanup and remediation efforts.
• Emergency Response Costs: The deployment of emergency response teams, including firefighters and other personnel, incurs costs related to personnel, equipment, and resources used to contain and extinguish the fire.
• Long-Term Repercussions: The incident may have long-term repercussions for the city’s infrastructure, economy, and reputation, potentially affecting future investment and development initiatives.
• Indirect Costs: These include intangible costs that may be more difficult to quantify, such as community trust in the city’s ability to manage infrastructure, perceptions of safety and security, and the overall resilience of the local economy.

source：sabcnews.com